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Messages - leetramp

I contacted Venice Marina, and they have nothing for a cyclist (only two-bedroom cabins at $150/night). My next thought is Morel's Gulf Coast Park and Campground, about 20 miles north of Venice. From Google Streetview it looks like just a flat place to pull you your RV, but I called and they say they have spaces for a tent. Perhaps two nights there, with a day to ride down and explore the Venice area...

I'm looking at a tour in June/July 2011 (yes, I know it's hot). I'm thinking I'd like to take two days to ride from New Orleans to Venice (the almost mouth of the Mississippi). I'll be riding to Omaha, NE, mostly along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, thus the appeal of starting at the mouth of the Mississippi. Can anyone give thoughts on riding Highway 23 from New Orleans to Venice? I'd like to ride down in one day and back in the next. Google places it at about 80 miles each way, which is a bit long for me, but doable (while I prefer 60 mile days, I've ridden 100+ days with full packs before).

How's the traffic? Any camping down there? (I just wrote an email to the Venice Marina asking what they could offer.) Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks everyone for the great information. I may be changing my route to go Montana-ND-SD-Nebraska, but the tips are a great at helping me make my decision. I really like the cycling maps of Kansas/Nebraska (and the traffic counts are also fun).

I had a great time this summer riding down the Pacific coast from a physics teacher conference in Portland, and next summer the conference is in Omaha. I'm looking at the following trip:

Amtrak from the San Francisco area (home) to Grand Junction, CO

Riding Route 50 down to join the Western Express route at Montrose

Riding the Western Express to Pueblo, CO (just to ensure myself that I can climb 5,000 feet and scale an 11,000 foot pass )

Riding the TransAmerica route to about Alexander, KS.

Riding various roads up to Omaha NE (probably going through Lincoln).

Amtrak back after the conference.

Does anyone have knowledge they can share about riding these roads through Kansas and Nebraska? I did a bit of gravel road riding on my tour this summer, and my Surly Long Haul Trucker handled it just fine, but I'm pretty sure I was riding a bit slower than on pavement. I'm tempted to just zig-zag on the little farm roads, heading north and east, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience with riding in this area that they can share.

I'll have to re-evaluate my schedule this summer to see if I can do it southbound. I've ridden SF/Seattle coast both ways, and didn't feel that much of a difference, but maybe I just got lucky that year.

Hmm. Amtrak to Seattle, visit family/friends for a couple weeks, bike to Portland for my conference, ride over to the coast, back in time to teach in August... I might be able to make it work

Any thoughts on riding Rt. 1 from LA to SF in February? Wind, weather, precautions, highlights? (Of course, I'm going to do this anyway, better or worse, but would love some input on weather from folks in the area...)

I'm not sure why people keep suggesting that Paul do this the other way, or at other times. He says he's going to do it anyway. I'm getting the similar results when I tell people I'm riding SF to Seattle: "You're going the wrong way." Some times there are reasons why we do what we do, not just because we're looking for the "easier way."

I'm wondering if anyone has ridden the southern portion of California's "Lost coast." It seems the "Lost Coast" usually describes Capetown/Petrolia/Honeydew region. I once drove from Highway 1 just north of Rockport along dirt/gravel roads through the Wheeler/Kenny/Sinkyonne Wilderness State Park, arriving at Honeydew from the south. I did it in my two-wheel drive Saturn Wagon, so the roads weren't that bad, but I remember them very steep.

Has anyone on the list ever ridden this stretch? I'm thinking of taking it on my trip this summer (avoiding Hwy 101 through Jenner/Garberville, etc., and trying out my road/trail bike on "real" gravel/dirt roads), and looking for tips from folks who may have done it before--or folks who have heard "don't even try it"

It looks like the southern dirt/gravel (some may be paved) portion of the route would be 51 miles, with 13,400 feet of climbing (maximum elevation 2,200 feet, so LOTS of ups and downs, average grade 9.0). I'm fairly fit, and not in too much of a rush, but I'd rather not get into something that's too crazy.

I have a GPS, and know how to use it, since I'm guessing that many of the road intersections back there may be not marked or minimally marked.